


Realizations

by Khrystyll



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Everybody Lives, Field Trip, Gen, Not Spider-Man: Far From Home Compliant, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Spider-Man Identity Reveal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-27
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2020-07-21 08:54:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19999240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Khrystyll/pseuds/Khrystyll
Summary: It's been three months since Flash found out, along with the rest of the world, that Peter Parker is Spider-Man.





	Realizations

**Author's Note:**

> After Endgame but nobody is dead.  
> Everyone is friends.  
> Karen is also in Peter’s phone.  
> Sam is only mentioned once.  
> This story is told from Flash's POV.

It was awe-inspiring, but ultimately expected, when all active Avengers showed up in a press conference organized by Stark Industries. It was meant to serve as an avenue for them to address remaining public concerns regarding safety after the defeat of Thanos, as well as the re-acceptance of former fugitive Avengers who were all completely and unconditionally pardoned after the battle. 

To everyone’s surprise, the Avengers also used this chance to introduce their newest and youngest member to the public. And to the people’s further shock, Peter Parker publicly introduced himself to the world as Spider-Man.

It has been three months since.

* * *

  
  


Flash got out of the car as he was dropped off in front of the school. Slinging a strap of his backpack over his shoulders, he walked to the building and down the hallway with a swagger. He stopped in front of his locker and was grabbing the books he needed for the day when he hears the beginnings of a now-familiar morning scene.

“Parker’s here!”

“It’s Spider-Man!”

This kind of fuss occurs every day whenever Peter Parker arrives at school in the morning, or when he passes by the halls. People give space for Peter and his buddy Ned to pass, but they continue to whisper loudly among themselves and don’t even bother to hide the fact that they’re staring at Peter. 

If Peter never caught anyone’s attention as the smartest kid in school before, then he definitely did now. If not because he’s also Spider-Man, then perhaps because of the way people just stop and stare and talk about him wherever he goes ever since the big reveal. 

Peter arrived at his locker with his best friend in tow. They’re talking about LEGOs again. Flash never really understood how they never get bored of LEGOs. They all look the same to him. He got out everything he needed from his locker and was about to walk to his first class when Peter caught his eye. He receives a small closed-mouth smile, and Flash gives a barely noticeable nod of acknowledgment in return before he continues on his way.

The Spider-Man revelation was not only a bucket of ice-cold water over Flash’s head, it also turned their interactions completely and utterly awkward. How does one act when the boy you’ve bullied for years turns out to be the hero you idolize? 

It was a difficult truth to accept, but one he also could not deny. It explained a lot of things — Peter’s absences and tardiness, Spider-Man being there at the Washington Monument, that big mess with Liz’s dad. And after the fact, he’d noticed that Peter slept in class more often whenever Spider-Man was reported to have been out the night before.

The first day back at school after that press conference was a disaster. Peter had to leave almost immediately after he arrived because the press was all over the school like vultures, and even after he got past that, the students gathered around him and bombarded him with questions. It took Tony Stark himself threatening the press before they got off Peter’s back, and the principal had to dole out punishments just to get the students to relearn what it means to respect someone’s privacy.

To be honest, Flash was thankful he didn’t have to face Peter that day. He was expecting snarky comments, a few threats, or even just a smirk. But they never came. For some reason, Peter never shoved the fact in Flash’s face, even if he would admittedly deserve it. In hindsight, of course not because this is Peter Parker. He never wants to fight, never wants to antagonize everyone, always such a goody-two-shoes. Spider-Man has been around a while. Which means Peter Parker could have definitely fought back before. He didn’t then. He wouldn’t now.

It was a week before Peter and Flash encountered each other again. Flash just stiffened in place when they made eye contact. Peter seemed just as uncomfortable as he was, and they both ended up facing their lockers, ignoring each other. All the while they both knew with certainty that the other was just as conscious of their presence. 

When Ned arrived and they made eye contact again, this time Peter opted to nod slightly in his direction. It surprised him so much he couldn’t react. He questioned actually seeing the action and by the afternoon he had brushed it off as a hallucination. But Peter continued acknowledging him every day after that, and now they’ve come to this awkward stage of acknowledgement but no communication.

Classes don’t feel that different even with a superhero in their midst. Contrary to expectations, even though Peter has unarguably become the school’s most popular kid, he doesn’t become everybody’s best friend. 

Flash thinks it’s because majority of the students, thankfully, still have the decency to not shamelessly befriend someone they’ve been ignoring or bullying for years just because they’re suddenly famous. Flash finds it fun, however, whenever he witnesses Peter’s discomfort trying to avoid the minority who do in fact throw themselves at him.

Most days go by normally. It is so normal, in fact, that Flash often forgets Peter Parker is actually Spider-Man. The only difference from before seem to be that Flash no longer bullies Peter, and then Peter. Peter is different. It’s nothing big like his attitude doing a one-eighty or suddenly performing superhuman feats in gym class, even if he probably could. 

It’s just that Peter walks a little taller now, with his head held slightly higher, and there’s a tad more confidence and grace in the way he moves. It’s as if he can finally be himself. As if all the clumsiness up to this point has been the product of trying to hide his actual capabilities. (But then Flash sees Peter trip on flat ground and decides that at least some of the clumsiness has to be innate.)

After a few months of seeing this new Peter, Flash sometimes finds it hard to remember how he used to be like. Normal days go by with new Peter, and gradually new Peter just becomes normal Peter.

Until he isn’t.

Flash forgets Peter isn’t exactly normal until he sees him casually dodging a stray volleyball ball coming from behind without batting an eye.

Flash forgets until someone gets cramps in the middle of swimming class and suddenly Peter swims faster than the school’s swim team captain to save them. He may have even been faster than professional athletes, but Flash doesn’t know anything about professional swimming.

Flash forgets until Peter comes to school one day with cuts and bruises, and comes back the next day without a hint of scars.

Flash forgets until Peter stops a toppled library shelf and places it back upright all by himself without breaking a sweat.

Flash forgets until Peter jumps to the ceiling-- actually  _ reaches  _ it and  _ sticks  _ to it  _ upside-down _ \-- in order to fix the light bulb because it’s been a week and the school’s only ladder is hogged by another class.

* * *

  
  
  


After school, Flash is about to exit the gates when he sees Peter running to an expensive-looking black car. Peter being picked up in fancy cars has become a common sight. There is gossip that he’s being driven by Tony Stark’s former bodyguard Happy Hogan. Flash doesn’t know if it’s true, but whatever the truth is, it definitely had something to do with Tony Stark.

Peter’s internship at Stark Industries was a hot topic for a while when it first became known. Stark Industries is notorious for its high standards and rigorous competition for both regular employment and internship. So much so that before Peter, there has never been a high school intern in the history of SI. What fanned the flames even more were the rumours at that time that not only was Peter an intern, he personally knew and was in contact with Tony Stark himself.

Peter’s internship was questionable mainly because there was no precedent. But if Flash was being honest with himself, Peter’s intelligence was definitely not lacking for SI. So while the internship thing was highly unlikely, it was not impossible.

What Flash thought was impossible, though, was Peter Parker knowing Tony Stark. That just… didn’t compute. Tony Stark is Tony Stark. He is the one and only Ironman. How could Peter actually know him, much less be in contact with him?

But now? After the reveal? It makes so much damn sense. 

During the press conference, not only did Tony Stark say Peter is working as an intern at SI and has been for some time, he also accepted responsibility for Peter’s well-being and actions as a hero. Owing to the fact that Peter is a minor, Flash understood it as the superhero equivalent to guardianship.

So no one bats an eye when Peter gets into one of Tony Stark’s cars almost every day after school. No one cares when Flash looks at the cars a little longer, searches for the car model in Google, and computes how he can get enough money to get one for himself. If they’re not resigned to never owning such a car, they’re probably doing the same thing themselves.

Flash continues on his way out, looking for his family’s car that should have already arrived to pick him up. When Peter gets in the fancy car, he catches a glimpse of someone who looks suspiciously like the  _ Black Widow _ in the backseat. It can’t be, he tells himself. But as the fancy car speeds off, he sighs and admits to himself that yes, it probably was her.

He finds his car and gets in. The drive home is silent, as always, save for the radio humming in the background. He gets home and goes straight for his room and flops on his bed. When he goes to the living room two hours later and turns on the TV, the first thing he sees is news of Spider-Man saving a lady from a mugging.

He gets excited by the news. Of course Spider-Man would stop the mugging. Of course he’d save the lady. He’s Spider-Man. He’s a hero. He’s Queens’ hero. And though lately he’s less likely to admit it, he’s Flash’s idol. 

He sees the blur of red and blue run around on screen. In the back of his mind he knows it’s Peter Parker. Logically, he knows they’re the same person. But seeing Spider-Man always feels different. There’s always a sense of safety when Spider-Man is there, even just through the television screen. Peter doesn’t evoke that feeling of assurance. 

  
  


* * *

  
  


On Friday that week, their whole class is in Manhattan. They’re on a trip to take a tour of Empire State University’s campus. Flash is still undecided whether to be disappointed they canceled the zoo plans, which would have been way more fun in his opinion, or to be delighted they came to Empire State University instead, which admittedly is a lot cooler and not to mention useful for his future.

The tour is pretty much what Flash expected it to be. Aside from being told the school’s history and what each building is for, they get explanations on the available degree programs, the entry requirements, the application process, the famous professors teaching in the university, and available scholarships among others. 

Peter surprises Flash when he asks about the research topics in the different departments and institutes. Admittedly, Flash had assumed Peter wouldn’t be interested as everyone just kind of took it for granted that he was going to MIT because of his close relationship with Tony Stark. Perhaps he’s still undecided. It doesn’t matter because Peter could probably go to any university he decides to go to, anyway. 

The guide apparently doesn’t notice Peter at all until he voices his question. Flash could practically see her eyes widen in recognition when she turns to face Peter. The realization that she’s talking to  _ Spider-Man _ causes the guide to falter slightly when answering his questions. But to her credit, she recovered quite fast.

They’re finally nearing the end of their tour. The guide stops in front of the university’s main library and announces it’ll be their last stop. They are given 15 minutes to go around freely as long as they don’t take any of the books or equipment. Despite the freedom, though, the class somehow stays relatively together and no one strays too far from the group.

While everyone else is looking around, Flash is looking at the ceiling. There’s something regal about them. He doesn’t know if he’s using the word correctly but it feels right and no one would ever know anyway.

He’s busy staring at one of the chandeliers when he hears an explosion go off. Not a second later the whole building is shaking, Flash loses his balance and he hits his elbow on the nearby table before using said table to keep himself steady.

The people around are screaming in panic. Even after the shaking has stopped, the sound of explosions have not. Coupled with a few gunshots, it doesn’t really make for a relaxing soundtrack. Flash doesn’t yell. He doesn’t even make a sound. But he can feel his hands and legs shaking, he can feel sweat drops forming on the side of his face, his back, his underarms. 

To his left, he sees Peter standing up and holding out a hand to help Michelle. 

Right, Peter. Spider-Man. They’ll be fine. They will have to be.

He notices that he wasn’t the only one. Every person in their class is looking right at Peter. Even the other people in the library have noticed Peter and are coming over. They’re all looking to him for an assurance. They’re looking to him to keep them safe. They’re looking to him to get them out of this situation.

Subconsciously, Flash thinks it might not be such a good idea to pin so much responsibility on to a single 16-year-old. But to be honest he’s terrified. Thinking that he’s with Spider-Man is the only thing that’s keeping him relatively calm, albeit drowning in sweat.

Flash faintly hears Peter muttering about how he wishes to have “just one normal field trip  _ please _ ”. But then Peter notices the people around him. He realizes they’re all counting on him. For a moment, Flash is scared Peter will crumble under the pressure. But Peter surprises him.

Peter stands up straighter and immediately fishes his phone out of his pocket. “Karen, find out what’s going on. Scan the building for immediate threats.” He hears Peter say. There’s a gap of silence that allows a little doubt to creep up in Flash’s mind. 

But then a woman’s voice rings out to inform them that there are shooters all over the campus. They have a helicopter dropping bombs out, but so far none have hit buildings. Two shooters are going inside the building they are in. In this situation, Flash’s mind isn’t working enough for him to think about what the bad guys even want.

Peter doesn’t have any outward reaction to the news “Karen” has given him. Instead he just says, “Contact the Avengers” in a quiet but decisive tone, before he then proceeds to yelling loudly for everyone to hear. He’s shouting out orders for everyone to stay together, away from windows and doors, away from the stairs and elevators. 

Peter guides them to one of the back shelves. He tells them to hide, to continue trying to contact the police, and to stay calm. When they’re all huddled at the back, and Peter is satisfied with their position, he turns to them with a soft smile. “It’ll be alright,” he says, maintaining eyes contact as he scans through everyone in the room. Then he turns around, with his back towards them, and walks away to face the intruders. 

He’s just Peter, not Spider-Man. He’s not wearing a red and blue suit. He’s wearing jeans and a jacket over a nerdy T-shirt. He’s Peter Parker. But for some reason, Flash looks at the back walking away from them and he feels safe. They’ll be fine. He knows it.

* * *

  
  


They hear the fight even from where they are hiding. They can hear punches and grunts, as well as what sounds like bodies hitting walls and going through glass windows. They can hear Peter taunting the bad guys. It seems there are more than just two of them that came. Maybe “Karen” was being specific when she said that two  _ shooters  _ were coming. Or maybe more followed in afterwards.

They’re all just obediently standing behind the shelf when it suddenly starts to lean and everyone screams and runs away before they are flattened by a bookshelf. Flash hears Peter yell out a “Sorry!” before he yells for them to stay together again. Immediately, everyone moves to be together on the same side. Now that they aren’t hidden, Flash can see the fight live and in the flesh. It’s right before his eyes and he’s filled with feelings of both fear and excitement.

His breath hitches when another gunman comes up the stairs and fires straight at Peter. But Peter just dodges the bullet like it wasn’t moving at a speed of almost 1700 miles per hour. Without a second thought, Peter shoots a web towards the gun, pulls it back, and disassembles the weapon before crushing the parts with his bare hands. 

Flash has no doubt he’s openly gaping. But he’s probably not the only one, anyway. He knows. He’s known for more than three months now that Peter Parker is Spider-Man. But seeing Peter now is different. 

Peter is fighting bad guys with an athleticism he’s never seen, Peter just stopped a punch with a single hand, Peter dished out a kick that sent the guy 35 feet backwards, Peter is facing guns like they’ll spit out water instead of the deadly bullets that are actually in them, Peter keeps on back-flipping like it’s the easiest thing to do in the world, Peter is shooting webs with an accuracy and the creativity of someone who’s been doing this a while. Peter  _ being  _ Spider-Man. That’s something Flash has never seen. 

Witnessing it for the first time, right in front of him, is like learning all over again that indeed, Peter Parker and Spider-Man are one and the same. Apparently people knew what they were talking about when they said that “seeing is believing”. Flash thought he already knew that Peter Parker is Spider-Man. But now, he  _ knows _ . 

The fight doesn’t last for much longer, and Flash is finally able to sigh in relief when he sees the last bad guy punched into unconsciousness. Peter walked towards the group and made sure no one had injuries that required immediate attention before he took his phone out of his pocket once again. Flash doesn’t know what Peter sees in his phone screen. But his body language begins to relax and that further assures Flash. 

He is so relieved that he doesn’t notice anything else. Flash doesn’t see one of the bad guys start to stand up. He doesn’t see the bad guy somehow getting out of the webs holding him down. He doesn’t see the bad guy holding a knife and aiming it towards Peter. He only realizes what was about to happen when he hears gunshot from the elevator. 

The Black Widow is standing by the elevator, gun in hand. She had shot down one of the bad guys who was scarily close to striking Peter with a knife. Peter’s face doesn’t give him any clues as to whether or not he noticed the bad guy before the Black Widow intervened. It’s anyone’s guess.

“Thanks for the save, Nat!”

“Anytime, Pete. His mutation must have somehow allowed him to get out of the webbing.”

Peter only nods. 

Mutation? You mean the bad guys aren’t just normal people with weapons? They’re mutants? A thousand questions run through Flash’s head. It could also be that only some of the bad guys were mutants. There shouldn’t be that many of them, right? Even if there were, they shouldn’t all be bad guys, right? Is Spider-Man also considered a mutant? 

Flash shakes his head to get the jumbled thoughts out. He’ll figure it out when he’s not busy fearing for his life. For now, it seems like the worst is over.

Or not.

Black Widow hands over four tiny boxes to Peter. She herself is holding four more identical boxes. Flash is amazed his eyes haven’t fallen off their sockets yet because those boxes look eerily like bombs. Oh my god, those  _ are  _ bombs!! He can feel his heartbeat getting faster. He’s pretty sure the other people have noticed the boxes (bombs), too.

“I’ve disabled four.” She gestured to the ones she was carrying and promptly drops them. “But there are more all over the campus. Everyone’s going around retrieving and disabling them. I can disable them myself but I might be more help outside.”

She then faces everyone else. “There are bombs in the building. Don’t be separated from the group. Don’t touch or move anything suspicious.”

Before they can fully absorb the reality of being in a building with bombs that may or may not explode, Black Widow is already out the window and Peter is on the floor working on the bombs.

“Karen, can you check if there are any other bombs in the building?”

Peter finished disabling one of the bombs before “Karen” can answer. Honestly, Flash is still unsure whether “Karen” is the voice or the phone. Both?

“Aside from the ones in your possession, there are none left in the building. The only bomb near this building is the one outside about 15 feet to the south but it seems the Falcon is taking care of it.”

Peter disabled the second bomb. “Thanks, Karen.”

In his head, Flash knows that bombs that can possibly explode in his face and send him to his death are right there, no more than four feet in front of him. So he doesn’t quite understand why he feels ridiculously calm considering the situation. He doesn’t know if it’s because Peter -- Spider-Man -- is right in between him and the threat (bombs). Or if it’s because of the confidence and speed with which Peter is disabling these weapons.

Another bomb is disabled. Flash then remembers another detail Tony Stark had mentioned during that unforgettable press conference. Peter Parker helps him and the princess of Wakanda design, create, and upgrade the Avengers gear. Peter Parker makes his own webs and web shooters. Peter Parker knows his way around deadly inventions. Somewhere along the way, he learned how to disassemble guns and defuse bombs.

Flash hasn’t decided yet whether he wants to be scared or impressed about that certain realization.

“And we’re safe!” Peter announces as he finishes disabling the last bomb.

Flash wants to relax. He really does. But after the many times today he falsely thought he was safe, he doesn’t want to risk it. So he figures he should just wait until all the bad guys are captured and he’s back at home and in bed before he will let down his guard.

Some people are now crowding over Peter. They are thanking him over and over again for protecting them. Ned and Michelle are giving him hugs. Then the tour guide is calling for everyone to gather around while she does a headcount. Oh, right. They were on a tour.

The other people are settling down on the chairs and desks are weren’t too damaged in the fight. Everyone’s knees are giving out as they finally allow themselves to feel something other than fear.

A few minutes later, Ironman can be seen flying outside. He’s headed for their building and goes in through a broken glass window. His armor opens up at the head so they can see Tony Stark’s face inside it.

“You all right, kid?”

“Yeah I’m good!” Peter faces Ironman with a smile, while casually dusting off his jeans.

“Here you go” Something small and circular flies out of Ironman’s hands and straight into Peter’s. “We need back-up!”

Flash doesn’t think he’s ever seen Peter grin so wide.

“Thanks, Tony!”

It’s the last thing he hears before the familiar red and blue suit starts to appear from whatever that tiny thing was and it wraps around Peter. Ironman flies off, and Spider-Man swings after him without missing a beat.

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I don't actually know how bombs and guns work, and I can't write action scenes to save my life.  
> Let me know your thoughts!


End file.
